The use of seatbelts is becoming more and more prevalent in today's world. This is particularly true in regard to motor vehicles. The seatbelt cover is generally wrapped around the shoulder belt and secured with fasteners. Widespread attention has been focused in recent years on the consequences of bacterial contamination contracted by contact with common surfaces and objects.
A further difficulty is in connection with soiling of the user's clothing. Automobiles are normally used over an extended period of time and accordingly, the seatbelts in those vehicles are also used for many years. They tend to become worn and dirty as time goes on and there is relatively continuous use. In fact, even during non-use, the seatbelts will become dusty and accumulate dirt and other substances that can discolor and soil one's clothing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,495 to Lapointe similarly sets forth a comfort adding covering for securement overlying a seatbelt flexible portion to enhance the comfort of a user utilizing hook and loop fasteners to secure the cushion to the seatbelt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,401 to Saenz sets forth an additional flexible seatbelt covering to provide a protective cushioning to a seatbelt.
Many motorists and passengers complain about the wearing of seatbelts because seatbelts are not always very clean. So what is needed is an antimicrobial seatbelt cover that provides a barrier to the growth of microbes and decreases the amount of cross contamination between hosts coming into contact with the seatbelt.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved vehicular seatbelt covering to overcome the problems of microbes transmission to the buckles and belts portions during exposure to extensive contamination and which may be further compactly and readily secured and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.